Nepalese spiritual leader “Buddha Boy” sentenced to ten years in prison

A controversial spiritual leader in Nepal known as “Buddha Boy” was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Monday for sexually abusing a minor, court officials said.

Ram Bahadur Bamjan – considered by some to be the reincarnation of the founder of Buddhism – was also ordered by a judge in the Sarlahi District Court in southern Nepal to pay the victim $3,700 in compensation.

The man has 70 days to appeal the court decision, said court official Sadan Adhikari.

In January, Bomjan was arrested by police in a suburb of the Nepalese capital Kathmandu. He was accused of sexual assault and suspected of involvement in the disappearance of at least four of his followers.

When he was arrested, Nepalese banknotes worth $227,000 and other foreign currencies totaling $23,000 were confiscated from him, police said.

Last week, the court found him guilty of sexually abusing an underage girl.

Charges related to the disappearance of his followers are still pending.

Many Nepalese believe that Bamjan is the reincarnation of Siddhartha Gautama, who was born in southwestern Nepal about 2,600 years ago and was worshipped as a Buddha. Buddhist scholars are skeptical of Bamjan’s claims.

Bamjan became famous in southern Nepal in 2005.

His popularity has waned due to allegations of sexual and physical assaults on his followers, but he still maintains camps in southern Nepal where thousands come to pray or live. (AP)